Death's Black Wings

Roaming with Ricin was always a recipe for a good time. They had started their lone trek as children, along the way they found a new family and with that a home. It had been wonderful growing up with loved ones. However, the magic of the duo together had never left. Between the two of them there was nothing Chade an Ry could not accomplish.

A dense fog had rolled into the woods, making things more mysterious and offering a creepy effect. This atmosphere made Chade feel all the more alive. His senses were on high alert for any danger. No sound went unnoticed, no scent going unregistered in his brain.

His brother seemed to be enjoying the scenery a bit less. Ry was keeping up a brave front but Chade knew his brother all too well. He was about to whisper a ‘boo’ to try and both spook Ry but imagining after spooking him it would help settle nerves. Ry spoke up just as Chade was inhaling for the ‘boo’ but Ry didn’t finish his sentence.

Chade started in surprise as Ry was there and then he wasn’t. The sounds he made as he rolled downhill told Chade where Ry had gone and put a fear in his gut that no amount of fog could ever do. “No, Ry!” He’d be fine. Ricin was nimble and was likely somehow managing to hit the ground in the least dangerous ways. Spear-like rocks impaling his brother came to Chade’s mind and he shook the vision out of his head.

Chade rushed as much as he dared to follow Ricin. Chade could be reckless at times but if he got injured badly now he’d be of no help to Ricin. “You ok? I’m coming Ry!” He heard Ry say he was fine, he also heard him puking. Damn it, he wasn’t fine! Chade was struggling to not lengthen his stride and fly downhill, damning any risk or danger of falling on his own but he hadn’t survive puphood by giving in to impulsions.

The holler for bear changed things. Chade took long leaping strides after Ry cried out about the bear. He stumbled, once, twice, felt a front paw twist and with a snarl continued down heedless of pain. Ry injured with a bear couldn’t wait for him to take the safe path. The ankle was twisted and caused yet another
stumble, pain shooting up the leg warning him there would be consequences for this but that too was ignored. “Ry no!” Chade hollered in response to Ricin’s battlecry. He should wait, hide or run. What if he couldn’t run? Was this a last bite before the bear killed him? Chade didn’t smell a bear as hard as he tried but scents could be tricky and his brain wasn’t processing well.

Finally, he got to where his brother had landed and the smell that hit him was Ricin’s blood. Gasping for breath, ignoring the pain in his paw he stepped forward to find this bear, no, it wasn’t a bear. It was a wolf. Chade spotted where the mist circled about a blue, unmoving lump on the ground. “Ry..,” Chade’s voice was soft, scared as if suddenly they were pups again. With a deep snarl at the stranger Chade moved to Ry’s body, making sure his brother was alive.

He was alive. He was alive. Chade tried to will life into his brother but as he looked at the vacant eyes and the chest stilled with no breath…no miracle was happening here.

“You’re dead,” Chade snarled at the enemy. After this wolf died Chade would die. Ages ago they had decided that life and death would be together.

WC: 616
WC Total: 1299

"Chade & Ricin"